Table 3.  Mean (±SD) values for biographical, anthropometric and performance characteristics of professional and elite soccer players reported since 1995.

Source

Nationality

Level

n

Age (yr)

Stature (m)

BM (kg)

BMI* (kg·m-2)

Body Fat (%)

Somatotype

VO2max

CMJ (cm)

Mercer et al., 1995

English

PROF D1

15

24.7 (3.8)

1.79 (.08)

77.6 (9.2)

24.22

16.2 (3.4)

-

62.6 (3.8)

44.8 (6.8)

Raastad et al., 1997

Norwegian

PROF

28

23.5 (3.0)

-

78.9 (7.8)

-

-

-

62.8 (4.1)

-

Bury et al., 1998

Belgium

PROF D1

15

24.2 (2.6)

1.81 (.05)

76.8 (5.2)

23.52

14.1 (1.1)

-

62.8 (4.0)

-

Di Salvo et al., 1998

Italian

PROF

44

17.8 (.6)

1.81 (.04)

72.6 (4.7)

22.09

-

-

-

-

Rico-Sanz, 1998

Puerto Rican

Olympic

8

17.0 (2.0)

1.70 (.07)

63.4 (3.1)

21.99

7.6 (3.1)

-

69.2

-

Rienzi et al., 1998

South American

PROF

110

26.1 (4.0)

1.77 (.06)

76.4 (7.0)

24.39

10.6 (2.6)

2.0-5.3-2.2

-

-

Wisløff et al., 1998

Norwegian

PROF D1

14

23.8 (3.8)

1.81 (.05)

76.9 (6.3)

23.45

-

-

67.6 (4.0)

56.7 (6.6)

Wisløff et al., 1998

Norwegian

PROF D1

15

23.8 (3.9)

1.81 (.05)

76.8 (7.4)

23.49

-

-

59.9 (4.1)

53.1 (4.0)

Rico-Sanz et al., 1999

Swiss

PROF

17

17.5 (1.0)

1.77 (.05)

69.4 (6.4)

22.08

-

-

-

-

Batterham et al., 1999

English

PROF PL

9

18.1 (.6)

1.81 (.06)

70.5 (5.0)

21.52

-

-

-

-

Mujika et al., 2000

Spanish

PROF

17

20.3 (1.4)

1.80 (.06)

74.8 (5.5)

23.11

7.9 (1.6)

-

-

47.4 (6.0)

Aziz et al., 2000

Singaporean

National

23

21.9 (3.6)

1.75 (.06)

65.6 (6.1)

21.42

-

-

58.2 (3.7)

-

Rienzi et al., 2000

South American

PROF

11

26.1 (4.0)

1.77 (.06)

76.4 (7.0)

24.39

10.6 (2.6)

2.2-5.4-2.2

-

-

Sözen et al., 2000

Turkish

PROF

83

25.5 (4.0)

1.78 (.06)

73.6 (8.5)

23.28

-

-

-

-

Al-Hazzaa et al., 2001

Saudi Arabian

PROF

154

25.2 (3.3)

1.77 (.06)

73.1 (6.8)

23.28

12.3 (2.7)

-

56.8 (4.8)

-

Casajus, 2001

Spanish

PROF

15

26.3 (3.1)

1.80 (.07)

78.5 (6.4)

24.23

8.2 (.91)

2.6-4.9-2.3

66.4 (7.6)

41.4 (2.7)

Cometti et al., 2001

French

PROF D1

29

26.1 (4.3)

1.80 (.04)

74.5 (6.2)

23.05

-

-

-

41.6 (4.2)

Cometti et al., 2001

French

PROF D2

32

23.2 (5.6)

1.78 (.06)

73.5 (14.7)

23.20

-

-

-

39.7 (5.6)

Helgerud et al., 2001

Norwegian

PROF D1

19

18.1 (.8)

1.81 (.06)

72.2 (11.1)

21.97

-

-

64.3 (3.9)

54.7 (3.8)

Craven et al., 2002

English

PROF D1

14

23

1.81 (.06)

80.1 (9.2)

24.45

-

-

-

-

Dowson et al., 2002

New Zealand

National

21

Senior

1.78 (.07)

78.9 (6.0)

24.90

17.4

-

60.5 (2.6)

48.0 (4.6)

Strudwick et al., 2002

English

PROF PL

19

22.0 (2.0)

1.77 (.06)

77.9 (8.9)

24.87

12.3 (2.9)

-

59.4 (6.2)

-

Carvalho et al., 2003

Portuguese

PROF D1

74

-

1.77 (.06)

76.7 (5.5)

24.51

-

-

-

-
 

Portuguese

PPOF GK

9

-

1.83 (.03)

81.5 (8.0)

24.34

-

-

-

34.2 (8.4)
 

Portuguese

PROF CEN Def

13

-

1.85 (.06)

82.0 (6.2)

24.06

-

-

-

32.1 (7.3)
 

Portuguese

PROF Full-Back

9

-

1.73 (.05)

69.9 (6.4)

23.36

-

-

-

32.4 (2.9)
 

Portuguese

PROF CEN MF

17

-

1.76 (.08)

74.3 (7.0)

23.96

-

-

-

35.5 (6.2)
 

Portuguese

PROF Wide MF

15

-

1.75 (.05)

75.3 (4.8)

24.48

-

-

-

38.8 (9.0)
 

Portuguese

PROF Strikers

11

-

1.80 (1.1)

78.9 (8.6)

24.35

-

-

-

35.3 (5.2)

Matkovic et al., 2003

Croatian

National

57

23.2 (3.5)

1.81 (.06)

77.6 (5.7)

23.79

14.9 (3.5)

-

-

-
 

Croatian

National GK

7

-

1.83 (.04)

80.1 (5.1)

23.94

20.2

-

-

-
 

Croatian

National Def

17

-

1.82 (.05)

-

-

13.9

-

-

-
 

Croatian

National MF

21

-

1.81 (.06)

-

-

14.4

-

-

-
 

Croatian

National FORW

12

-

1.79 (.06)

-

-

-

-

-

-

Wilson et al., 2004

Northern Irish

PROF

34

26.0 (5.8)

1.73 (.08)

76.2 (5.1)

25.46

-

-

-

-
 

Northern Irish

PROF Def

12

26.5 (6.2)

1.75 (.01)

77.6 (5.1)

25.34

15.6 (2.9)

-

49.9 (5.4)

42.8 (7.1)
 

Northern Irish

PROF MF

10

26.7 (6.1)

1.75 (.01)

76.6 (4.8)

25.01

16.0 (2.2)

-

51.6 (7.8)

47.0 (9.6)
 

Northern Irish

PROF Striker

12

24.9 (5.5)

1.71 (.01)

74.5 (5.2)

25.48

14.3 (2.2)

-

53.1 (5.4)

48.3 (10.0)
BM = Body Mass; BMI = Body Mass Index; Maximal oxygen uptake = VO2MAX (ml·kg-1·min-1); CMJ  = Counter Movement Jump PROF = Professional; GK = Goalkeepers; CEN = Central, Def = defenders; MF = Midfielders; FORW = Forwards. * BMI based on mean values of stature and body mass.